NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ, 21 July 2015 – Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey is leading a clinical trial examining if a certain dose of radiation given over a short period of time to the part of the breast affected by cancer is beneficial. The trial, known as the TRI-faction Radiotherapy Utilized to Minimize Patient Hospital Trips – or TRIUMPH-T Trial – will explore the effect of treating patients with radiation delivered over a shortened period of two to three days versus longer periods associated with traditional radiation therapy. A previous study by Cancer Institute of New Jersey researchers showed the approach of giving radiation therapy over a two day period is safe.

Radiation treatment for breast cancer can involve 25 treatments targeted to the entire breast over six- weeks. Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation (APBI) involves modified doses of radiation given over a much shorter period of time to the affected part of the breast only. The resulting biological effect is similar to the longer treatment. Over the past 15 years, scientists have conducted studies examining APBI treatments of several days versus several weeks of radiation treatment to see if they provide the same or better benefit to the patient. Some of the clinical benefits that have been shown for targeted radiation include reduced radiation exposure to healthy tissue such as the heart.

As more APBI studies are done, researchers at the Cancer Institute want to see if three doses of focused radiation delivered over two or three days is better than conventional courses over longer periods of time.
“Breast cancer patients may be choosing unnecessary surgical options instead of the advantageous option of limited surgery plus radiation due to the length of time that traditional radiation is given. By further examining short courses of accelerated partial breast irradiation, there may be an opportunity to present treatment options that may provide better outcomes and improved quality of life,” says Cancer Institute of New Jersey radiation oncologist and principal investigator of the trial Atif Khan, MD, who is an associate professor of radiation oncology at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and director of brachytherapy services at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital – the flagship hospital of the Cancer Institute.

Patients accepted into the study will receive APBI with a brachytherapy applicator (a device inserted into the breast that delivers radiation) over a period of two to three days. The applicator will be removed after finishing the treatment. Participants will be followed by study doctors for a minimum of two years. Women aged 45 and older who are diagnosed with early stage breast cancer and received a surgical treatment known as a lumpectomy to remove the cancer are eligible to take part in the clinical trial. Other criteria must also be met. Prior to being accepted into the study, participants would be required to undergo a number of tests including blood work and a physical exam.

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